This application requests funds to provide support for the twelfth bi-annual Gordon Research Conference on Elastin and Elastic Fibers to be held from August 3-8, 2003. The objective of this meeting is to provide a format for the exchange and integration of new information on the molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, biosynthesis, assembly, and pathobiology of elastin and micro fibrils. The proposed meeting will bring together basic scientists from a variety of disciplines to present and discuss the most recent information on elastin and microfibrillar proteins. This Conference will act as a major stimulus for international research into the nature and function of these unusual and important connective tissue proteins. Many novel findings related to elastic and microfibrillar proteins have been made since the 2001 Elastin and Elastic Fiber Gordon Conference. Among these include the role of elastic fibers in development and other biological processes, their utility in biomaterials and tissue engineering, and insights into their function and role in diseases such as COPD from functional genomics. In addition, much new biological functions of elastases have also been achieved largely through gene targeting. These functions include inflammatory functions as well as host defense against tumor progression and microbes. Thus, the 2003 Elastin and Elastic Fiber Gordon Conference will occur at an exciting time in connective tissue biology and will provide a mechanism to discuss these new findings. As in past years, these personal interactions will result in new collaborative studies and stimulate novel avenues of investigation of these important matrix proteins.